Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013

“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there” – Will Rogers.

Want to grow your business but not sure how to do it? Or, is your business growing so fast you can’t keep up with it?

If creating or managing growth is a challenge for you and your business, then the Jefferson City Small Business Academy is for you.

A partnership between the Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce and Extension’s Small Business Technology & Development Center (SBTDC), the Academy provides you the opportunity to work on your business rather than working in your business.

What is in it for you?The academy focuses on growth and preparing for that growth through a structured curriculum that provides practical advice, real-world techniques, & opportunities for coaching and access to new resources.

The Small Business Academy uses a world-class curriculum developed by the Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City. The 32 hour curriculum is provided in easy to digest 10 3-hour events plus a 2-hour introductory session. You will be with fellow entrepreneurs facing the same challenges. The curriculum is a mix of lecture, exercises, guest speakers and networking. At the conclusion of the Academy you will have created a growth plan for your business. You will also have access to the full range of SBTDC services, which includes market research, business plan assistance, financial reviews, access to government contracting help to name a few.

Fee is for all 11 sessions.

Session topic:

Strengthing the product/service. Consider the impact of your strategy and need to change. update, or improve your product or service aimed at strengthening your competitive advantage.

Registration:

You must apply for acceptance to the Academy. For an application or more information contact the Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce at 573-634-3616 or the SBTDC in Cole County at 573-634-2824. You can also apply on-line.

Leaderhsip Camden County is a 10 session program spread over a 9-month period (Sept. 2013-May 2014). The program is designed to provide participants with the opportunity to:* Enhance their leadership skills,* Familiarize themselves with the community's opportunities, needs, and resources,* Identify and analyze current economic, political and social forces affecting the communities future,* Establish effective peer relationships amongst themselves,* Provide a common ground for communication between themselvesand community leaders,and* Educate themselves on how to move people and ideas to action. more...

Monthly staff meetings are held at the Clay County Extension Center. It provides staff members an opportunity to provide updates, share information, make announcements, raise concerns that need to be addressed and ask/answer questions.

FastTrac New Venture helps aspring and start-up entrepreneurs to determine the viability of their busienss concepts and enables them to engineer a plan and a framework to successfully launch their companies. (Session 3)

The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) is a community-based program which assists participants in maintaining quality of life when faced with chronic medical conditions. The CDSMP is provided in two and a half hour sessions, once a week for six weeks, in community settings (e.g. senior centers, churches, libraries). People with different chronic health problems attend together. Workshops are facilitated by two trained leaders, one or both of whom deal with chronic diseases themselves. Subjects covered include: 1) techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation, 2) appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance, 3) appropriate use of medications, 4) communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals, 5) nutrition, and 6) how to evaluate new treatments. Classes are highly participative, where mutual support and success build the participants' confidence in their ability to manage their health and maintain active and fulfilling lives.

General health insurance education provides the information Missourians need to understand new health insurance regulations of the Affordable Care Act and in what ways they change program participants' lives, including: if and how their current health insurance plan may/may not change and when, if and when participants should enroll in a new healath insurance plan or continue with their current health insurance plan, and if participants qualify for subsidies to help them pay for their insurance, and if so, how to obtaoin those subsidies.

Missouri’s Stay Strong, Stay Healthy (SSSH) program is designed to increase aging adults’ access to a safe, structured, and effective strength training program. Over the 10 weeks, participants learn exercises to improve their strength, flexibility and balance. At each session, a prescribed set of 8 upper and lower body strengthening exercises are done along with warm-up and cool-down stretches. Participants are made to feel comfortable regardless of their current fitness level so they can safely participate and gradually build the strength beneficial to health.

Enjoy the beauty of the Garden during this 10-week strength training program for seniors. Light weights will be used to increase strength and improve balance. Weather permitting, the program may take place outdoors in the Garden.

Tai Chi for Arthritis is an easy and effective exercise class, integrating the mind and body, that improves flexibility, muscle strength and balance. The class is based on the Tai Chi for Arthritis program supported by the Arthritis Foundation of America.

This introductory seminar explains how to win SBIR (Small Business Initiative Research) and STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer Research) grants from Federal programs that provide R&D funds for small businesses. Lunch is included with the class.

FastTrac® Listening to Your Business” workshop is a hands-on, facilitated workshop designed to provide entrepreneurs and business managers with the critical evaluation tools and action steps needed to maximize the growth and profitability of their business.

Cooking Matters is a culinary-based nutrition education program that aims at reducing food insecurity and empowering individuals and families with skills to cook at home.

Session topic:

Two hours include: engaging Nutrition & food safety discussions and food preparation. Participants make two recipes and enjoy eating together and discussing skills learned in class. Participants also take home groceries to make one of the recipe at home

Learn how to utilize QuickBooks software for your business bookkeeping needs. Emphasis will be placed on properly setting up list items which determine how the information feeds into the company financial statements. Details of the Customer and Vendor Centers will be discussed. The reconciliation process for bank accounts and credit card statements will be demonstrated. Reports for tracking accounts receivable, accounts payable, company profitability, and company status will be presented. more...

This hands-on workshop is for those who are new or just beginning to explore social media opportunities. If you’ve wondered how to dive into social media & whether and how it can benefit your business, this workshop is for you. more...

The Advanced class is for those who have completed a Stay Strong, Stay Healthy class or have been strength training regularly for six months or longer. The advanced class includes more complex upper and lower body strengthening exercises, core body exercises, and balance movements.

Registration:

Contact the Cole County Extension Center at 573-634-2824 or e-mail the instructor.

Tai Chi for Arthritis is an easy and effective exercise class, integrating the mind and body, that improves flexibility, muscle strength and balance. The class is based on the Tai Chi for Arthritis program supported by the Arthritis Foundation of America.

Maysville United Methodist Church400 West Main Street, Maysville MO map...

Description:

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy is an ten-week strength training program for middle-aged and older adults. The program’s goal is to improve health and quality of life. The class will meet twice a week.

We will incorporate warm-up exercises; simple strengthening exercises, with or without weights; and cool down stretches. Weights are provided for the class. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Bring water bottle and towel.

Registration:

Call Janet at the Harrison County Extension office 660-425-6434 to register.

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy is a strength training program developed by Tufts University to help men and women increase strength, flexibility and balance. Missouri’s Stay Strong, Stay Healthy (SSSH) program is designed to increase middle age and older adults’ access to a safe, structured, and effective strength training program. At each session, a prescribed set of 8 upper and lower body strengthening exercises are done along with warm-up and cool-down stretches. Participants are made to feel comfortable regardless of their current fitness level so they can safely participate and gradually build the strength beneficial to health.

Registration:

Contact the Cole County Extension Center at 573-634-2824 or e-mail the instructor.

The third of the financial management series, this course is designed for those with little-to-no financial training who need to know how to use a cash budget to prepare for the future. Learning to estimate future sources and uses of cash and analyzing the impact of these predictions on your business is the focus of the program. Participants can then make informed business decisions such as how prepared they are to grow their business, developing realistic loan and financing requests, safely taking cash out of the business, and making affordable business purchases. $65 for each individual program, sign up for all four for $220, a $40 savings. You bring a pencil; we’ll provide the calculator more...

Taking Care of You, Body Mind and Spirit is an 8 session program. This program will help you learn a healthy way to face challenges that will aid your well-being. You will learn strategies that develop skills to respond thoughtfully to challenges rather than react automatically. Research has shown these strategies to positively affect blood pressure, sleep disturbances, emotional eating and depression.more...

Registration:

Pre- registration is required.To pay with Visa, Master Card or Discover, call 636-970-3000. To pay with check, make payable to University Extension Council and return with registration form to: University of Missouri Extension 260 Brown Road, St. Peters MO 63376

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy is a strength training program developed by Tufts University to help men and women increase strength, flexibility and balance. Missouri’s Stay Strong, Stay Healthy (SSSH) program is designed to increase middle age and older adults’ access to a safe, structured, and effective strength training program. At each session, a prescribed set of 8 upper and lower body strengthening exercises are done along with warm-up and cool-down stretches. Participants are made to feel comfortable regardless of their current fitness level so they can safely participate and gradually build the strength beneficial to health.

Registration:

Contact the Cole County Extension Center at 573-634-2824 or e-mail the instructor.

Focus on Kids is the court-mandated program in Platte County for separated/divorcing parents and for parents doing modifications of their parenting plans.

Session topic:

Focus on Kids is a 2.5 hour workshop for separated/divorcing parents and for parents doing modifications of their parenting plans. Parents whose cases are filed in Platte County are required to attend.

Registration:

Parents whose cases are filed in Platte County must contact the Circuit Clerk's office at 816-858-1986 to register for the class. Parents whose cases are filed in another county or out of state, but wish to take the class in Platte County must contact the University of Missouri Extension Center at 816-407-3490 for information on how to register.

The Divorce Recovery program assists people in the transition moving from the disintegration of one stable state (marriage) through divorce to another new state. The program helps participants deal with the many losses of divorce, including relationships, roles, material possessions, family systems, dreams, hopes, and beliefs.